MP sees new style dinners during Coppice Primary School visit

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones joined local pupils and teachers at Coppice Valley Primary School this week to talk literacy and introduce a new theme for school dinners.

The school is placing strong emphasis on manners and conversation skills and so pupils and teachers are sitting together for their meals, talking about table manners and introducing children to others outside their own classes.

Pupils are also doing a project on literacy titled ‘extreme reading’. The project highlights people reading in unusual places and Andrew was asked to take part. He chose ‘The Parliamentary Record from the 1700s’ from the library at the House of Commons and sent the school a photo as proof for their ‘extreme reading’ noticeboard.

Andrew’s entry to the ‘Extreme Reading’ project; a dusty tome from the House of Commons library

After lunch, Mr Jones said: I enjoyed my ‘back to school’ experience and discussing literacy with the Coppice team over lunch.

It is clear that the children are benefiting from the new style school dinners and are engaging with other pupils right across the school.

It is easy in our modern world of computers and smart phones to neglect social skills and literacy. Initiatives like the new inclusive school mealtimes ensure that friendship groups become wider and deeper.

‘Extreme reading’ teaches the value of picking up a book and taking pleasure from reading it. My degree from Leeds University is in English so I was doubly pleased to support this initiative.

Main photograph: Back to school. Local MP Andrew Jones with (L-R) Mrs Emma Meadus – Deputy Headteacher, John Drake – Headteacher and Matt Lunn – School Governor, in front of the schools ‘Extreme Reading’ wall.